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MARCH 6,  2014

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:31 P.M. ET:

WISE AMERICANS – From Fox:  "By a 59-36 percent margin, voters oppose cutting Army troops to reduce military spending, according to a new Fox News poll.  The proposed Defense Department budget that President Obama sent to Congress on Tuesday would reduce the number of active U.S. Army troops from about 520,000 to about 450,000.  Most Republicans (83 percent) and independents (61 percent) oppose the cuts, while over half of Democrats favor them (54 percent)."  The Democratic Party, once the national defense party, is becoming a big problem.  It's now the send-me-a-check party.

THREAT TO THE NATION – From Fox:  " A few weeks after her foray into the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, Barbie is entangled in controversy again, this time over her ties with the Girl Scouts.  Two advocacy groups often critical of corporate advertising tactics -- the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Center for a New American Dream -- on Thursday urged the Girl Scouts of the USA to end its partnership with the doll's manufacturer, the Mattel toy company.  The partnership, announced last August, includes a Barbie-themed activity book, a website, and a Barbie participation patch -- the first Girl Scout uniform patch with corporate sponsorship."  I'm so glad someone is finally warning about the
Barbie/Girl Scout Complex.  Eisenhower warned about it, and was ignored.  Our freedoms are in danger.

REPORTING THE NEWS THEY LIKE – The news networks promote the illusion of near-unanimity among scientists regarding global warming by simply excluding skeptics.  From CNS:  "Neither CBS nor ABC have included a skeptical scientists in their news shows within the past 1,300 days, but both networks included alarmists within the past 160 days -- CBS as recently as 22 days ago. When the networks did include other viewpoints, the experts were dismissed as 'out of the scientific mainstream' or backed by 'oil and coal companies.'  The networks were able to promote the myth that there is a scientific consensus for man-made, catastrophic climate change by including climate alarmists much more often than skeptical scientists and by challenging the credentials of the skeptics that they did include.  There are thousands of skeptical scientists, so it's not like the networks couldn't find any."  And some of the "skeptics" are among the leading scientists in their fields.

BUT IS THE POLL SIGNIFICANT? – Rasmussen is out with its first poll matching Hillary Clinton against Jeb Bush in 2016.  Clinton has 47%, whereas Bush has 33%.  It looks like a romp, but look again.  If all Clinton can muster, with all her fame, is 47%, maybe she's not in such good shape.  Jeb isn't that well known, and the internals of the poll show that his last name hurts.  It's the dynasty thing.  It's an early poll.  But Hillary is the one to worry.

March 6, 2014       Permalink

GREAT MOMENTS IN EDUCATION – NOT – AT 10:16 A.M. ET:  Another group of college professors bring discredit on their university.  What else is new?  From Fox: 

Rutgers University professors and students are crying foul over the school's decision to invite former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to speak at this year's commencement ceremony.

Rutgers' New Brunswick Faculty Council passed a resolution last week calling on the university's board of governors to rescind its invitation to Rice, who will receive $35,000 and an honorary doctorate for the speech, The Star-Ledger reported.

The resolution said Rutgers should not honor Rice because of her role in the war in Iraq and the Bush administration’s policy of "enhanced interrogation techniques," such as waterboarding, the report said.

"Condoleezza Rice ... played a prominent role in the administration’s effort to mislead the American people about the presence of weapons of mass destruction," the faculty resolution said.

Some students have also criticized the university's decision.

"Do the positive aspects of her personal accomplishments really outweigh the destruction of war she contributed to during her political career? She was a major proponent of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which has been arguably the worst and most destructive decision in the history of U.S. foreign policy," The Daily Targum editorial staff said in a recent op-ed that called Rice's selection "questionable."

Rice served as provost at her alma mater, Stanford University, before serving as President George W. Bush's national security adviser and secretary of state. In 2006, some students turned their backs as Rice addressed graduates and received an honorary degree at Boston College.

Republican New Jersey Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini criticized the Rutgers faculty group for protesting Rice's selection, calling the protest "appalling and an embarrassment to our state," The Star-Ledger reported.

"This is nothing more than a political firestorm fueled by their hatred of an opposing ideology, and President George W. Bush in particular. Dr. Rice and the people of New Jersey deserve better," Angelini said in a statement.

School administrators are standing by their decision.

Greg Trevor, a spokesperson for the school, told New Brunswick Today, "Dr. Rice is a highly accomplished and respected diplomat, scholar and author, and we are excited that she has agreed to address our graduates and guests at commencement."

COMMENT:  In the educational sandboxes that are American universities, some "scholars" believe that they should only hear voices they agree with.  These are the same people who constantly scream for their own "academic freedom," while denying it to others.

I'm not necessarily a Condi Rice fan, but she is a perfectly appropriate choice for a commencement speaker.  I hope the university stands its ground, and that Rice doesn't withdraw.

March 6, 2014       Permalink

THE TRUTH COMES OUT – AT 9:32 A.M. ET:  Many have asked why members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have not protested the drastic cuts in defense announced last week by Sergeant Minor Chuck Hagel.  The objections are starting to be heard.  From McClatchy:

WASHINGTON — The nation’s top military commander painted a dark picture Tuesday of future U.S. defense capabilities clouded by shrinking Pentagon budgets and adversaries’ technological advances that he said would erode American battlefield superiority.

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided his sobering views as part of the Quadrennial Defense Review, a congressionally mandated evaluation of U.S. military strength issued every four years.

Dempsey predicted that it would become increasingly difficult to balance the competing demands of protecting allies abroad, securing Americans at home and deterring future wars.

“The smaller and less capable military outlined in the QDR makes meeting these obligations more difficult,” he said. “Most of our platforms and equipment will be older, and our advantages in some domains will have eroded. Our loss of depth across the force could reduce our ability to intimidate opponents from escalating conflicts.”

Dempsey added: “Moreover, many of our most capable allies will lose key capabilities. The situation will be exacerbated given our current readiness concerns, which will worsen over the next three or four years.”

Dempsey’s perspective was more pessimistic than that of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.

COMMENT:  A grim picture.  We've done this before.  We did it after World War II, with catastrophic results at the start of the Korean War five years later.  We did it after Vietnam.  These extreme drawdowns always end badly.  It is false economy and lives are always lost. 

But I'm afraid it will take a new administration to correct the damage.  We have a leftist in the White House.  We have a Democratic Party that has abandoned its historic, and honorable, role as a national-defense party.  Sadly, we also have some Republicans who want to abandon Ronald Reagan's defense vision, and go back to a past age. 

We will be awakened. 

March 6, 2014       Permalink

VICTORY – AT 8:48 A.M. ET:  Reason and decency won out in the U.S. Senate yesterday, when enough Democrats defected to defeat the nomination of a deeply offensive individual to head the Justice Department's civil rights division.  From Fox:

Several Senate Democrats rebelled Wednesday to join Republicans in blocking President Barack Obama’s controversial pick to lead the Justice Department’s civil rights division.

The rejection of Debo Adegbile in a 47-52 vote marks the first time that the Senate has thwarted one of Obama’s nominees since Democrats changed filibuster rules in November — a historic change that was supposed to make it easier for the majority party to move nominations.

Vice President Joe Biden presided over the vote in case he would need to break a tie but that wasn’t necessary. The nomination needed 51 votes to advance and seven Democrats voted against the White House and their leadership.

Adegbile drew opposition and scrutiny from national law enforcement organizations as well as a bipartisan group of senators for his involvement with Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of killing Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981. Adegbile previously worked for the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund, which worked in support of Abu-Jamal’s efforts to overturn his death sentence.

Obama called the failed vote a “travesty based on wildly unfair character attacks against a good and qualified public servant.”

“Those who voted against his nomination denied the American people an outstanding public servant,” Obama said.

COMMENT:  The objection to Adegbile was not based on the fact that he represented Abu-Jamal.  There is wide recognition that every defendant deserves a defense, and, if convicted, an appeal of the conviction and the sentence.  It was based on some of Adegbile's obnoxious behavior outside the courtroom, including inflammatory, unproved charges of racism. 

Also, the insensitivity shown to Officer Faulkner's widow was a major political blunder.  She was patronized by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which approved Adegbile's nomination, and was not permitted to testify.  She was active in organizing opposition to Adegbile, and she succeeded.

President Obama's statement shows his usual lack of common sense, and his political tin ear.  He could have at least addressed the concerns about Adegbile, and possibly spoken with the widow.  Actions, and lack of actions, have consequences.

March 6, 2014       Permalink

UKRAINE LATEST – AT 8:35 A.M. ET:  The Russian side looks like it's pulling a shrewd move in the Ukraine crisis.  From Fox:

The parliament of the disputed Crimean Peninsula has voted in favor of leaving Ukraine to become part of Russia, with a referendum on endorsing the move to be held later this month.

The parliament, which enjoys a degree of autonomy under current Ukrainian law, voted 78-0 with eight abstentions in favor of holding the referendum and joining Russia. Local voters will also be given the choice of deciding to remain part of Ukraine, but with enhanced local powers.

Russia, which regards Crimea as essentially Russian, could claim that democratic procedures were being followed. 

Ukraine's interim government is declaring the referendum illegal. 

Meantime, the U.S. State Department is imposing visa restrictions on Russians and Ukrainians accused of threatening the territorial integrity of Ukraine.  Take that, Russkies!

President Obama plans to take a few days off this weekend.

March 6,  2014     Permalink

MARCH 5,  2014

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 10:43 P.M. ET: 

WHA..? – From deadline.com:   "Even though the Robert Wise original music "West Side Story" is about as sacred a cow movie as you are going to find, Fox has unlocked that movie title for a remake specifically because Steven Spielberg is interested in making it. No writer has been set yet and Spielberg hans’t done anything more than register his interest, which traditionally has always been enough to get a studio hot and bothered."  That is a genuinely bad idea.  Never tamper with a classic.  I've never seen a remake of a great movie improve on the original.

OBAMA DOWN AGAIN IN POLLS – From Fox:  "President Obama’s job approval rating hits a record low this week, as a majority of Americans say his administration has mostly failed at growing the economy, creating jobs, improving health care and the country’s image.  That’s according to a Fox News poll released Wednesday.  For the first time in a Fox News poll, fewer than four voters in ten -- 38 percent -- approve of President Obama’s job performance. Fifty-four percent disapprove. Before now Obama’s worst job rating was 40-55 percent in November 2013. Last month 42 percent approved and 53 percent disapproved (February 2014)."  Not surprising.  The ratings are matching the performance.

APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE – From the New York Post:  "A Russia Today anchor quit live on air Wednesday, declaring she cannot work for a station that 'whitewashes the actions of Vladimir Putin.'  Liz Wahl, who works in the network’s Washington DC bureau, said her grandparents came to the United States to escape Soviet oppression.  'And that is why personally I cannot be part of a station funded by the Russian government that whitewashes the action of Putin,' she said, reading from a statement. 'I’m proud to be an American and believe in disseminating the truth. And that is why after this newscast I’m resigning.'"  I hope the offers pour in, and that the first one is from Fox.

I LOVE IT – Jimmy Carter has volunteered to go to Venezuela to wave his hand over the multitudes and solve the country's political ills.  This prompted a response from anti-government bloggers, which contained the following gem, as reported by Frontpage:  "'Please, desist from your trip,' reads an open letter from Venezuelan blogger/journalist Daniel Duquenal. 'You have absolutely no credibility in Venezuela…You have cursed us enough as it is. I can assure you that half of the country has no respect nor credibility for you and the other half (the Castroites) thinks you are a mere fool that they can use and discard as needed.'"  It's about time someone said that to Jimmy.

March 5, 2014      Permalink

PICKUP FOR OUR SIDE? – AT 9:20 A.M. ET:  One of the key states in this year's contest for control of the U.S. Senate is North Carolina.  We have a good chance for a pickup.  From The Washington Examiner:   

Approval ratings continue to drop for Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan, who is seeking re-election in the key battleground state of North Carolina, according to a new poll.

The result of the latest Elon University Poll shows that approval of Hagan, now at roughly 33 percent, has declined in four consecutive polls.

"The trend suggests the senator will face a tougher-than-expected re-election battle this November," said Dr. Jason Husser, assistant director of the Elon University Poll.

Further troubling for Hagan is the roughly equivalent disapproval of her job performance by women and men. Thirty-three percent of women and 34 percent of men surveyed approved of Hagan's work.

Hagan has been pummelled for months by negative advertising. Americans For Prosperity, funded in part by the Koch brothers, has alone spent more than $8 million so far on advertising attacking Hagan -- more than the group has funneled to any other race so far this election cycle.

North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis is widely considered to be the Republican best positioned to face Hagan. He has received implicit support from national Republicans but must win a competitive primary race to become the party's nominee.

COMMENT:   This is obviously a ripe situation for us.  But let's see if the Republicans can actually pull it off by nominating a solid candidate who can avoid making a fool of himself.  Our side has lost easily winnable seats in recent years because of weak candidates.

The election is only eight months away.  We can stop Obama's legislative program, block his Supreme Court appointments, and do other good stuff, if we can get control of the Senate.

March 5, 2014       Permalink

LET US REMEMBER – QUOTE OF THE DAY – AT 8:58 A.M. ET:  This is the anniversary of one of the most famous speeches of the 20th century – Winston Churchill's "iron curtain" speech on March 5, 1946, delivered in Missouri, the home state of then-President Harry Truman. 

Churchill was no longer prime minister, having been ousted from office in the election of 1945.  The term "iron curtain" had actually been used many times before, mostly in private communications between the U.S. and Britain.  But Churchill's speech made it famous, and it defined, for our side, the nature of Soviet control in Eastern Europe.  Here is the most famous passage from that speech:

From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and, in many cases, increasing measure of control from Moscow. Athens alone - Greece with its immortal glories - is free to decide its future at an election under British, American and French observation. The Russian-dominated Polish Government has been encouraged to make enormous and wrongful inroads upon Germany, and mass expulsions of millions of Germans on a scale grievous and undreamed-of are now taking place. The Communist parties, which were very small in all these Eastern States of Europe, have been raised to pre-eminence and power far beyond their numbers and are seeking everywhere to obtain totalitarian control. Police governments are prevailing in nearly every case, and so far, except in Czechoslovakia, there is no true democracy.

COMMENT:  Ironic that this anniversary should come at the very time when Moscow is once again trying to impose its imperial will.  (By the way, notice the silence on our college campuses over this.)  The greatness of Churchill's speech lay in his willingness to tell the truth, to articulate, as only he could, the actual situation that the free world faced.  Compare please to leaders today, especially our own.

Where are the Churchills, the Trumans, the Reagans?  We do miss them, don't we?

March 5, 2014       Permalink

WHILE AMERICA SLEEPS – AT 8:42 A.M. ET:   Chuck Hagel, strategist, announced deep cuts in American defense last week.  China has given its reply.  From Bloomberg:

China’s central government will boost defense spending 12.2 percent this year as President Xi Jinping seeks to create a strong military and the navy extends its reach into neighboring waters.

The defense budget is set to rise to 808.23 billion yuan ($131.6 billion), the Ministry of Finance said in a report today. The percentage increase is greater than that of total government expenditure, which will rise 9.5 percent in 2014, according to the report.

Premier Li Keqiang told the opening session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing today that China will continue to enhance border, coastal and air defenses.

“We will comprehensively enhance the revolutionary nature of the Chinese armed forces, further modernize them and upgrade their performance, and continue to raise their deterrence and combat capabilities in the information age,” Li said. China will boost research on national defense and the development of new and high technology weapons, he said.

China’s military modernization is increasing tension in the region as it challenges the guarantee of security provided by the U.S. for more than a half a century to sea lanes that handle the bulk of world trade. Xi has made a strong military a key priority for a revitalized China and said he wants the nation to be a maritime power.

China has also taken an increasingly assertive stance on territorial disputes that have lingered for decades with its neighbors. In November, China declared an air defense identification zone over a swathe of the East China Sea that includes islands disputed with Japan.

COMMENT:  Nations in Asia will take note of China's growing power, and our increasing weakness, and act accordingly.  I wouldn't be shocked if both South Korea and Japan, our two most important allies in the region, start to show "understanding" for China.  Thanks, Barack.  Thanks for coming to save us.

March 5, 2014       Permalink

FASCINATING – AT 8:33 A.M. ET:  Hillary Clinton has made her first statement on the Ukraine, and it's a whopper.  Hillary does nothing without considering the political consequences.  From Fox:

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton compared the recent Russian troop deployment in Crimea to policies implemented by Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany regime.

Speaking at an event benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, Calif. Tuesday, Clinton drew parallels between what she described as a campaign by Russian President Vladimir Putin to give Russian passports to any Crimea resident with Russian ties and the so-called "Heim ins Reich" resettlement policy practiced by the German dictatorship prior to World War II.

"[This is like] what Hitler did back in the 30s," Clinton said, according to the Long Beach Press-Telegram. "All the Germans that were ... the ethnic Germans, the Germans by ancestry who were in places like Czechoslovakia and Romania and other places, Hitler kept saying they’re not being treated right. I must go and protect my people and that’s what’s gotten everybody so nervous."

"Heim ins Reich," which literally means "Home into the Empire," was a policy pursued by Hitler beginning with the Anschluss of Austria and the annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland in 1938. The ultimate aim was to convince ethnic Germans living outside the Third Reich to agitate to be included in a so-called "Greater Germany." In practice, the policy required expelling non-Germans from their traditional homes as the Nazis pushed east and resettling ethnic Germans in their place, as well as transferring whole German communities from parts of eastern Europe for resettlement in Germany. The policy ended with the defeat of the Nazis on the Eastern Front by the Soviet Union in 1945.

COMMENT:  That is very strong stuff, and may well be Hillary's first attempt to distance herself from the marshmallow policies of Barack Obama.  Tough words are not what the Democratic left wants to hear.  I get the feeling that Hillary realizes the votes are in the center, not on the left, and she'd better be seen as a tough, centrist Democrat who can lead the nation strongly.

Not a bad strategy.

March 5,  2014     Permalink